tibbles



(No Model.) Q 3 SheetsSheet 1. G. N. TIBBLES.

BOAT

No. 381,729. Patented Apr. 24, 1888.

ATTORNEYS.

(N0 Medal.) 3 SheetsSheet 2 G. N. TIBBLES.

BOAT

No 381,729. Patented Apr 24, 1888.

I WITNESSES: MH/E/VTOR.

' BY f mow/3r ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. N. TIBBLES.

BOAT.

No. 381,729. Patented Apr. 24, 1888.

m/vavmm J7. m BY 2 A mm/g if WITNESSES. wfi W M M ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT FFiQE.

GEORGE N. TIBBLES, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

BOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 381,729, dated April 24, 1888.

Application filed August 19, 1881'. Serial No. 247,348.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, GEORGE N. TIBBLES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Boats, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in boats, and particularly to means of propelling the same; and its nature and objects will fully appear from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top view of a boat, showing the invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on the dot-ted line X X of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line Y Y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a similar view on the dotted line Z Z of Fig. 1. Figs. 5 and 6 are detached views of one element of the mechanism, hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings, A denotes the boat, which may be of any suit-able form and construction, and about the center of which is applied the stand B, supporting the standards 0 O, in the upper ends of which isjournaled the transverse shaft D, having upon its opposite ends the crank-rods E E, and upon its center a rigidlysecured gear-wheel, F. Upon the horizontal portions of the crauk-rods E are applied the revolving pedals G G, beyond which said portions of the crank-rods are supplied with heads H, as shown more clearly in Fig. 2.

The purpose of the revolving pedals G G is to enable the operator to cause the rotation of the crank-rods and shaft D by the movement of his feet applied in the ordinary way to treadles of this description. \Vhen, however, it is not desired to rotate the shaft D,carrying the gear-wheel F, by means of the feet, the same result may be accomplished through the medium of vertical hand levers I I and the pitman-rods J, the latter being pivoted at one end to the said vertical levers, and at the other end being hooked upon the crankrods adjacent to their outer ends.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I illustrate in enlarged detached views the application of the rods J to the horizontal portions (lettered K) of the crank-rods, Fig. 5 illustrating the rods locked.

(No mo el.)

upon the portion K, and Fig. 6 the position of the parts when said rod is merely dropped upon said portion K. Upon the rods Jis ap plied the locking sleeve L, which is adapted to have a sliding movement upon the rod, and is provided with a set-screw, M, by which it may be secured in any desired position. Then the rods J are to be secured upon the crank rods, their ends will first be dropped over said rods, as shown in Fig. 6, and the slides L then moved against said crank-rods and there secured, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The lower ends of the vertical hand levers I are pivotally secured upon the transverse rod N, and being devices of welllinown construction their operation will be readily understood.

The seat for the operator or attendantis lettered O, and is in convenient position between the levers I for the latter to be grasped and operated, or to be discarded, and the attendant enabled to operate the crank-rods E with his feet.

In Fig. 4 I illustratethe levers I and rodsJ thrown backward out of the way and leaving the crank-rods free to be operated by the feet.

The rudder P will be connected with the longitudinal rod Q, extending beneath the seat; 0, and having upon its forward end the vertical rod R, which extends upward in front of the seat 0, in convenient position to be moved laterally, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, by the knee of the operator.

Across the top of the boat is mounted in suitable bearings the transverse shaft S,having at its center the pinion-wheel T in engagement with the gear-wheel F,above referred to, and upon the ends of said shaft S are rigidly secured the arms V, which extend at right angles to the shaft, in near relation to the sides of the boat, and are connected with the parallel arms \V by pins a. as shown by dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 4. The pins a are parallel with the shaft S, and operate as crank-arms, and upon the outer end of the arms W, which are on the opposite side of the shaft from the pins a, are provided the horizontal pins 6, which operate also as crank-bearing arms for the arms IV. Upon the pins a are secured the upper ends of the propelling-blades d d, and upon the pins D Z) are likewise secured the upper ends of the propelling-blades e e, the connection of said blades with the pins being such that they may revolve thereon and form sleeves surrounding the same.

Upon the rear surface of the propellingblades d d and e 0, respectively, are formed the elongated guide-sleeves, (lettered ff and g g, respectively,) which are of suitable dimensions to receive and move on the loosely-hung rods, (lettered h h and t 1;, respectively,) the upper ends of the rods being journaled upon the horizontal rods jj, as illustrated in Fig. 2, these rods extending over the sides of the boat and elevated upon suitable brackets, 70 k.

In the operation of the mechanism above described the shaft D will be rotated, and thus impart motion to the gear-wheel F,which will communicate a rotary movement through the pinion T to the transverse shaft S and crankarms a b, respectively, carrying the propellerblades d d and e 6, respectively. The motion of the crank-pins a a and b 1) causes an alternate depression into and elevation from the water of the propeller-blades, said blades during these motions having a movement in the line of a horizontal ellipse. In Fig. 2 the propellerblades (I dare shown depressed into the water, the crank-pins b b being at their lowermost position, and the arms V and NV being in a vertical position. It will appear evident from Fig. 2 that a half-rotation of the shaft S would cause the elevation of the propellerblades (2' d and the depression of the propellerblades 6 e, the erankpins a a at this time being at their lowermost position and the pins 2) b turned upward to their highest po-v sition. The movement of the propeller-blades in the line of an ellipse during the operation of the machine is secured by reason of the arms V WV being parallel to each other,

and the crank-pins Ct I), respectively, being on opposite sides of the horizontalcenter of the shaft S, and this elliptical movement is particularly important,since thereby the prof are at thelower ends of the rods, and during sliding movement of the blades thereon at either side of the vertical center of the shaft S.

It should be noted that during the operation of the mechanism above described the attendant or operator sits in a position facing the movement of the boat, and may readily, therefore, both attend to the propelling of the boat as well as the steering of the same.

I have described two methods of applying power to the shaft D, but do not wish the invention confined to either of said methods, since in some instances it will be desired to employ steampower for operating the propeller-shaft.

What Iclaim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is=- 1. In a boat, the transverse shaft S, having upon its ends the arms V W, carrying crankpins a b, respectively, which are in line with each other and on opposite sides of the center of said shaft, combined with the propellerblades cl cl and e a, respectively, loosely hung upon said crank-pins, the guidesffand g g,

respectively,on the rear surface of said blades, A

the loosely-hung rods h hand i t, respectively, entering said guides, and mechanism for rotating the shaft S, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In a boat, the transverse shaft having upon its ends the arms V V, carrying crankpins a b, respectively, on opposite sides of the center ofsaid shaft, combined with the propeller-blades loosely hung upon said crank-pins, the loosely-hung guiderods h i, adapted to move in the guides on said propeller-blades, the horizontal shaft D, having cranlcarms at its ends and carrying the gear-Wheel F,and the pinion-wheel T, secured upon the shaft S and being in engagement with the gear-wheel F, substantially as set forth.

3. In a boat,the horizontal shaft S, carrying two pairs'of corresponding crank-arms upon its ends, combined with the propeller-blades secured upon said crank-arms, the horizontal shaft D, having the crank-arms upon itsends and carrying the gear-wheel F, the pinionwheel T, secured upon the shaftS and being in engagement with said gear-wheel, the vertical levers I and pitman-rods J, the latter being pivotally secured at one end to the levers and at their other ends being provided with hookshaped extremities, and locking-slides L, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New IOC York and State of New York, this 6th day of Witnesses:

OrrAs. O. GILL, W. A. O. MATTHIE. 

